


Cin Vhetin

by stardustgirl



Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: (...kind of), (but they still make it work), Adopted Children, Angst, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Child Soldiers, Clone Wars, Daddy Issues, Developing Relationship, Dysfunctional Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Imprisonment, Kanan Jarrus Needs a Hug, Mandalore, Mandalorian, Mandalorian AU, Mandalorian Culture, Mandalorian Hera Syndulla, Mando'a, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), PTSD Will Happen and it Won’t Be Pretty, Phoenix Nest Discord, Running Away, Secret Relationship, Wanderlust, not beta read we die like men, ”Sorry My Family Captured You But I Still Won’t Apologize”
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23741446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustgirl/pseuds/stardustgirl
Summary: Captured by a group of Mandos while on a scouting mission, newly-minted Padawan Caleb Dume finds himself in a world he barely understands as war rages around them.  Time is running out to escape, however, and with Separatist forces encroaching, it looks like he’ll have to do that part on his own.That is, before he meets a girl full of wanderlust who’s just as eager to square up to the Separatist army as he is.(Title translates to “blank slate.”)
Relationships: Depa Billaba & Kanan Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus & Hera Syndulla
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Cin Vhetin

**Author's Note:**

> hey there demons it’s me ,,,, ya boi ,,,,
> 
> the Phoenix Nest Discord encouraged this AU so uh you can blame them lol
> 
> There’ll be a lot of Mando’a in this, but I won’t be translating all of it, just the stuff that’s necessary. If you want to look up the translations however you’re welcome to! Also Hera’s aged up slightly in this to be only a couple months younger than Caleb for obvious reasons lol.
> 
> Prompt fill for “Standing Cuffs” for Bad Things Happen Bingo.
> 
> TW: Hypothetical Torture of Child, Restraint, Hypothetical Child Murder, Withholding of Food and Water, Sleep Deprivation, Forced March, Implied Beating

Caleb’s breathing comes in hard gasps as one of his captors shoves him in the back again. “Faster.”

He tries to speed up, but his legs are shaking more than before. His head spins as his heart thuds rapidly in his chest like some kind of warning klaxon. Only it’s too late. The warning came just a few minutes too late, otherwise maybe he wouldn’t be here.

He trips over a rock and yelps as he falls, his pants tearing as he skins his knee. A rough hand grabs his shoulder and drags him to his feet again.

“ _Ik’aad_ _jetii liser va o’taylir kaysh taab,_ ” one says. The others laugh while one shoves him forward again.

The only part of the sentence he understands is that they’re referring to him; _jetii_ and a few other sporadic words are the only Mando’a he knows. However, Caleb has a feeling that if he survives this, he’ll know a _lot_ more.

Then again, that’s a big if.

As they keep marching, he stumbles more often. He hopes they’ll take the hint that he’s exhausted and stop, but they don’t. Caleb even opens his mouth at one point to ask for a break, but upon sighting the blaster rifle strapped to the back of the man ahead of him again, he opts for the safety of silence.

They stop for the night under a small rock outcropping, and when it starts to rain a few hours into the night he realizes why. Despite his exhaustion, however, he can’t sleep. Every time the guard changes, he can’t help but only get more scared. What if they decide he’s not worth a ransom and just kill him now? What if they decide to torture him for information? What if they’re part of Death Watch and they want to practice torturing him just for fun?

What if Master Billaba never finds him?

* * *

By the time morning arrives, Caleb’s brain has gone in so many circles it’s tired him out more than the marching. They give him a small portion of their rations and a bit of water, at least, though a dry cracker does nothing to replenish his energy.

For once, he’s glad for all the stamina-building exercises they did in the Temple. He’s sure that’s the only thing keeping him on his feet when they finally reach the camp halfway through the day.

He can barely keep his head up as they take him to a tent in the middle of the camp, nearly crying with relief at the shade it offers even as they attach his wrists to standing cuffs a foot or so above his head. One shoves a canteen toward his lips and he drinks greedily, nearly sobbing when it’s taken away far too soon. They leave him, then, to suffer alone.

* * *

He passes out at some point, only waking when a hand pulls his head up by his braid. Wincing, he blinks and tries to pull out of their grip, but they only tighten their grasp.

“Drink,” a voice says, pressing something to his lips. He opens them, choking down the water as fast as he can before it leaves.

“Why...am I here?” he asks, voice hoarse and cracking.

The Mandalorian doesn’t answer, instead leaving the tent.

Caleb shifts, trying to find a better, less stress-inducing position, but that proves impossible. He gives up, succumbing to the continuous aching of his wrists.

* * *

They let him down after what he’s pretty sure is five days.

He collapses the minute the cuffs are opened, and they have to practically drag him over toward a post more in the middle of the tent. He’s cuffed there, still forced to stand, but his arms are only about shoulder height this time. Caleb nearly sobs in relief.

They give him more water, too, this time letting him drink a full canteen before offering him a couple of ration bars. He accepts eagerly, trying to push away the worry that he has no clue when the next time he’ll be able to eat will be.

“Ready to tell us where your teacher is?”

He blinks at the voice, looking up to see a Mandalorian standing above him with arms folded. “...what?” he rasps.

“Your teacher. You’re a Padawan, yeah?”

He nods weakly.

“You have a teacher then?”

...oh. Master Billaba. They were talking about Master Billaba.

“No,” he answers after a long moment of silence. The Mandalorian exchanges a glance with one of the others before crouching in front of him.

“Listen, Jedi. This can be very simple for you, or very hard. Do you understand?”

He nods, shaking.

“Good. Now tell me—who is your teacher?”

He can’t tell them. He’s not sure why, he just knows that he _can’t._

“Uh….I….I’m not sure,” he answers instead, trying to seem weaker than he already is. The Mandalorian sighs, grabbing him by the chin and ignoring his whimper.

“I’ll ask one more time, and then you’ll get some time to think about it: who. Is. Your. Teacher?”

Caleb clenches his jaw closed.

The Mandalorian releases him after a minute, shoving him roughly back against the pole. “Stubborn brat. Sleep on it, then. If you can.” He gestures, and the others follow him out. Caleb shudders involuntarily, and soon finds himself falling into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Someone sneaks in that night, a small someone. Young, or at least short for their age. He can see lekku poking out the back of their helmet, but that’s about all the detail he can make out. He fakes being asleep. Maybe they’ll leave him alone if they think he _is_ asleep.

At some point, however, they get up to leave. The Force shoves at him without warning, and he takes the hint.

“Wait.”

They stop, turning back to him. “Why?”

He cranes his neck up, swallowing hard as the movement sends a bolt of pain through his shoulders.

“Did– did they take– do they have anyone else—“

They hesitate before walking back toward him, sitting on the ground before him. “Who?”

“An...an older Jedi. My master. Did they—“

“No.”

He sighs in relief, allowing himself to sag forward against the restraints before wincing. “Are you okay?”

He raises his head enough to level an unamused stare at them. “Why do you care? You’re– you’re a Mando, like the rest of them.”

They hesitate again before answering. “Because you seem like you’re hurt.”

Caleb gives a short, breathless laugh before saying, “There’s your answer, then.”

They fall silent, and he allows his eyes to close again as he attempts to relax as much as his restraints allow. Finally, however, he hears them get up and opens his eyes to see the pair of suns beginning to creep skyward. The Mandalorian stretches, rolling their neck before walking to the tent flap.

“Where are you going?” he blurts out before he can stop himself.

“Out,” they say, and they exit without another word, letting the tent flap fall closed behind them.


End file.
